Superstorm Sandy damage in Ortley Beach in Toms River on Nov. 18 during a tour of the region by Vice President Joe Biden. / THOMAS P. COSTELLO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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@dracioppi

At a glance

38 % will do more to prepare for next storm 79 % give police and first responders positive ratings 23% had damages that total $1,000 or more

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WEST LONG BRANCH — Fresh data released by the Monmouth University Polling Institute show widespread public support for spending tax dollars rebuilding the Jersey Shore following superstorm Sandy, although not to pay for private beachfront properties.

Other highlights of the poll include:

• High marks for utility companies.

• Most people were caught off guard.

• Sandy brought out the best in people.

The polls showed 62 percent of New Jerseyans surveyed were caught off guard, saying the storm was more serious than they had expected. Nearly four in 10 residents, or 38 percent, said they will personally do more to prepare the next time a big storm is predicted to hit New Jersey; 59 percent will do the same; and 1 percent will make fewer preparations.

Nearly one in four residents, or 23 percent, estimate that their storm-related damage and losses totaled more than $1,000. About three in 10 residents, or 29 percent, said they suffered “at least some” property damage to a home or business because of the Oct. 29 storm.

The polls showed overwhelming support for the volunteers, public workers, local, county and state government and utility companies. Police and first responders were recognized as “heroes,” Murray’s summary said, with 79 percent of residents giving them a positive rating, including 47 percent who rated them as excellent.

Utility crews who were on the streets restoring power received praise from 71 percent of New Jerseyans, with 21 percent giving a negative rating. Even the utility companies themselves got high ratings, with 61 percent positive responses and 33 percent negative responses — a decidedly different score from the one given on Thursday by the state Board of Public Utilities, which gave utilities an “F” grade for communications.

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That assessment was also in line with some along the Jersey Shore, who were in the dark for days, even weeks, following the storm. The university’s polls showed that even in the hardest-hit areas, 58 percent of responses were positive and 38 percent were negative toward utility companies.

Sandy Peace, of the Silverton section of Toms River, is in the 38 percent. She said she was powerless for 15 days while she watched utility crews work in her neighborhood and offer her false hope. Everything was excellent after the storm, she said, except for the power company’s response.

“I would talk to one person one day and they’d say, ‘It’s tomorrow.’ Then I’d see another worker from California and they’d say, ‘Oh, we’re just waiting for the word. It’ll take five minutes,’ ” Peace, 47, said. “It was just a big runaround.”

Restore the Shore

Nearly two-thirds of the state’s residents lost power at some point during or after the storm, the poll found.

Nearly half of New Jerseyans say it is “very important” to repair damaged areas of the Jersey Shore in time for the summer season. However, 67 percent say the rebuilding should be done gradually in order to save on costs.More than two-thirds of residents polled said state tax dollars should be used to: restore existing wetlands and bays as storm buffers (80 percent); upgrade and storm-proof power utility substations and lines (79 percent); assist North Jersey’s urban residents who were flooded (78 percent); upgrade and storm-proof rail systems (77 percent); rebuild boardwalks and beach amenities (76 percent); replenish beach sand (72 percent); and rebuild shore businesses (68 percent).

“People really want to see the shore rebuilt, but they want it done wisely,” Murray said. “But they think we really need to do this. This is such an important part of the state that we can’t let it slip through the cracks.”

The large private properties on the coast can rebuild on their own dime, 51 percent of the respondents said; 40 percent support rebuilding private shore homes with state tax dollars, according to the polls.

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Noel Kirchner, a retired 80-year-old who lives in Tinton Falls, said the storm should serve as an opportunity to rebuild smartly. He specifically cited dunes, like the ones that helped spare Bradley Beach extensive damage, as possible solutions.

“We ought to recognize the fact that the climate is changing and building so close to the shore is just inviting another disaster,” he said. “I’m not saying we can expect another hurricane like Sandy next year or the year after, but something like it is going to happen again.”

Three in four people, or 75 percent, said Sandy brought out the best in people, compared with just 12 percent who said it brought out the worst. Nearly six in 10 people, or 57 percent, said they donated food, clothing or supplies, while 43 percent donated money to a relief fund. Twenty-nine percent hosted a displaced friend or family member in their home, and 25 percent volunteered their time to help with recovery and cleanup efforts.

“It’s funny that we have the biggest disaster to hit the state in terms of damage, and there’s a sense that it made the state better,” Murray said.